Abstract

Rural homelessness in the United States is an understudied phenomenon. Among those studies which do address the issue, there exists no uniform or consistent definition for rural homelessness. In this review of the literature, we look at rural homelessness and consolidate the literature into four main groups based on the definitions currently in use. We recommend a comprehensive definition for rural homelessness that looks at this phenomenon on a spectrum of needs, populations, and periodicity. We further recommend that current homeless count methodology be improved by using a more detailed survey of homeless situations, not only in the rural United States, but in urban areas as well.

Keywords: rural homelessness, rural poverty, homelessness

How to Cite:

Yousey, A. & Samudra, R., (2018) “Defining Homelessness in the Rural United States”, Online Journal of Rural Research & Policy 13(4). doi: https://doi.org/10.4148/1936-0487.1094